The Indians apparently want to sign him but are debating whether he should be added to the major-league club or go to Class AAA Columbus on a minor-league deal.

Vizcaino is a free agent after having been released by the Cubs. He figures to sign for the Major League minimum. MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince indicated yesterday that Vizcaino will join the team's big league bullpen this today.

So, whatever happened to Tanyon Sturtze? Sturtze never caught on with the Dodgers and was granted his release on May Day last week. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says he is now considering retirement to spend time with his kids.

In the same piece, Cafardo reports Giants catching prospect Buster Posey has busted five homeruns and notched 22 RBI already in Single A San Jose, putting him on "a fast track to the big leagues." With Bengie Molina entering free agency, the Giants will not feel forced to re-sign him. According to Cafardo, the team would love to retain Molina to act as a mentor for Posey but for the fact that "Molina isn't ready for the mentoring role." Molina told reporters he'll seek a starting job. Finding one should be no trouble whatsoever.

Also in that same piece, former player Troy O'Leary is developing a baseball reality TV show…

According to Marc Lancaster, Jason Isringhausen is healthy. His rehab assignment is up May 19 but the Rays seem hesitant to call him up until then. With 10 days to determine what to do with him, it's expected Izzy will slot into the bullpen for Triple-A Durham until the Rays have to make a decision.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com saysLuis Vizcaino will join the Indians bullpen this week rather than go through a minor league stint in Triple-A Columbus. Vizcaino hasn't pitched in a game since April 21, right before the Cubs designated him for assignment and released him. Who gets sent down instead? Jensen Lewis or Tony Sipp both have options. Masa Kobayashi is a candidate to be released altogether, says Castrovince.

Vizcaino will throw a pair of bullpen sessions at Progressive Field this weekend. If all goes well, he could join the big league club on Monday. The 34-year-old reliever tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings and tallied a 3/0 K/BB ratio before he was released by the Cubs, so there's no reason to doubt he's ready to contribute. As Castrovince explains,

"The Indians had originally intended to sign him to a Minor League deal and send him to Triple-A Columbus for a short period, but they might make it a Major League deal to get him up here immediately."

USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported yesterday that the Indians released Juan Salas and designated Vinnie Chulk for assignment. Reliever Matt Herges was called up, Rafael Perez was demoted and today the Indians added Luis Vizcaino as they revamp their bullpen.

The Indians have an 11-18 record due in large part to a bullpen whose ERA was 6.49 even before the team lost 13-3 in Boston last night.

FRIDAY, 12:19pm: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports heard that the Indians intend to sign Vizcaino. He will either join the team immediately or tune up in the minor leagues first. The Indians' pitching struggled again last night, allowing 12 runs without recording an out at one point.

THURSDAY, 1:43pm: The Twitter post from Gaylord Sports linked below has been removed.

10:46am:According to Luis Vizcaino's agency Gaylord Sports, the reliever has been acquired by the Indians. The Cubs designated Vizcaino for assignment on April 23rd to make room for Jeff Samardzija. Vizcaino is owed $4MM, and presumably the Cubs will assume $3.6MM of that. They released him at some point, so he signed with Cleveland as a free agent.

The Cubs jettisoned Vizcaino after 3.6 scoreless innings. It seems they never wanted him; acquiring him was just a way to move some of Jason Marquis' salary.

Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post thinks Oliver Perez may be headed to the bullpen or even Triple A if he'll consent. Perez has pitched poorly in three of his four starts. He's had streaks like this before, though.

9:41am: Vizcaino has been designated for assignment, according to ESPN's Bruce Levine. Levine says Cubs GM Jim Hendry "tried to be creative with other teams, including the Washington Nationals, and tried to save some money before having to release Vizcaino."

Assuming Vizcaino signs elsewhere at the minimum salary, that'll be $3.6MM lost for the Cubs. They also sent $875K to Colorado in the January Jason Marquis deal. So the Cubs will end up paying $4.475MM rather than Marquis' $9.875MM salary.

THURSDAY, 9:04am: Sullivan seems a little more sure, writing today that Vizcaino "is expected to be released to make room for Samardzija."

WEDNESDAY, 4:56pm:According to Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs will call up pitcher Jeff Samardzija on Thursday to join the bullpen. Sullivan adds that Milton Bradley is back in the lineup (ie not headed for the DL), and lefties Neal Cotts and Sean Marshall won't be sent down. For Sullivan, it all adds up to the possibility that reliever Luis Vizcaino may be released. To do so, the Cubs would have to assume the $4MM owed to him.

Talking to Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Daily News, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel sees Jayson Werth missing no more than 15-20 games this year. Geoff Jenkins, with $8MM left on his contract, looks like the odd man out.

Muskat believes the deal, which will ship Rockies reliever Luis Vizcaino to the Cubs, will be finalized Tuesday. The move will free up Cubs money for the newly-acquired Milton Bradley.

Marquis (11-9, 4.53 ERA) is scheduled to make $9.875MM in 2009, the final year of the three-year contract he signed with the Cubs in December 2006. The Cubs are expected to pay $1MM of Marquis’ ’09 salary; Vizcaino will make $4MM this year, Muskat continued.

Muskat also notes that moving Marquis does not mean the Cubs will resume talks with the Padres regarding Jake Peavy, but more likely, Sean Marshall will fill the fifth spot in the Cubs’ rotation.